UNSC endorses plan for E. Timor vote
UNSC endorses plan for E. Timor vote
UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): The UN Security Council endorsed on Friday agreements that will enable the people of East Timor to decide their own future in an Aug. 8 vote, Reuters reported.
The accords were signed at the United Nations on Wednesday by Foreign Minister Ali Alatas of Indonesia and his Portuguese counterpart, Jaime Gama. They provide for a UN-organized vote to determine whether the East Timorese want wide-ranging autonomy under Indonesia rule or would prefer to move toward independence.
The Security Council resolution, sponsored by Britain, stressed the responsibility of the Indonesian government "to maintain peace and security in East Timor" to ensure the voting is carried out "in a fair and peaceful way and in an atmosphere free of intimidation, violence or interference from any side."
The resolution welcomed the accords and the intention of Secretary-General Kofi Annan to establish as soon as practicable "a United Nations presence" in East Timor to assist in conducting a "popular consultation" of the wishes of the East Timorese.
It welcomed his plan to make available "a number of civilian police officers to act as advisers to the Indonesian police" and to supervise the escort of ballot papers and boxes to and from the polling sites.
The United Nations is expected to send about 600 civilians and an unspecified number of police advisers to East Timor.
The resolution asked Annan to keep the council closely informed of the situation in East Timor and to provide a report by May 24 with details of the voting process and recommendations about the mandate, size and structure of the UN mission.
Annan was asked to provide reports every 14 days thereafter and to inform the council before the start of voter registration, due June 13, whether "the necessary security situation exists for the peaceful implementation of the consultation process."
The resolution welcomed the establishment of a trust fund to enable UN members to make voluntary contributions to support the UN mission in East Timor and urged all members able to do so to contribute without delay.
The UN operation was expected to cost between $30 million and $45 million. Portugal has given $10 million and Australia pledged $7 million and a similar amount in equipment and other items.
In Brussels, the European Union said on Friday that it would donate one million euros ($1.08 million) to the UN trust fund.
Manuel Marin, the acting EU commissioner responsible for parts of Asia, said Commission officials had begun work on preparing an integrated aid program for East Timor. The package could be worth between 15 and 20 million euros over five years, EU sources said.
From the United Nations, AFP reported that an American and two Britons are in the running to head up the UN mission in East Timor to prepare for the August ballot.
Annan was expected to make his choice in the coming days. Two of the three candidates have strong human rights backgrounds.
American Eric Morris currently serves as deputy to Elisabeth Rehn of Finland, who is the UN human rights special envoy to Bosnia. Briton Julian Harston is the head of the UN mission in Haiti, which includes a human rights contingent. And his fellow countryman, Ian Martin, who is also under consideration, formerly headed the UN human rights mission in Rwanda.
AFP also reported that the first member of a UN police force arrived in Dili, capital of East Timor, on Saturday.
"I have come to assess and to plan for the civilian police operation," said Om Rathor, from India, soon after arriving at Comoro airport.
Four other UN officials believed to be members of a technical team preparing the ballot arrived on the same plane.
The main police contingent was expected to arrive on Monday.